A great middle grade book, that covers some tough topics in a light but meaningful way. Precisely the kind of book I want to be sharing with the next generation.

Ryan loves her old house, her family and her friends. But when things start to change in her life, she has to start finding the sunshine for herself. How can she make the new house feel like home? What should she do when she feels left out? And what can she do in the talent show?

This feel good book is perfect for 7 -9 year olds that are beginning to grow up and question their place in their families, friendships and homes. Though lighthearted, it touches on some very important themes for children of this age and is very well written. I would recommend this book to many.

A fabulous middle grade book that tackles topics of friendship, financial struggles, family life and self image all in a way that isn't too emotionally loaded for the audience age range. Ryan is a great strong little girl who you cant help but fall in love with.

A lovely story of the Hart family who have to move house when Dad gets a new job. Ryan, the daughter, has a lot on her mind, including school, family and friends, but despite all of the setbacks that may come her way, she knows how to make sunshine out of the greyest day.

I really enjoyed this story of family, traditions and culture. Looking forward to future stories about Ryan and her family.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this copy.

Way's to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson centres around Ryan Hart, an African-American girl, and her family who live in Portland, Oregon. This middle grade story is all about how Ryan's life has changed since her Father lost his job, and they move to a new home. Some parts had me laughing, and others touched on more serious subjects like money issues, self worth and confidence. Overall, this book was so cute and wholesome and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd recommend this to any young person growing up today, and help them realise (and myself too) how you can always make sunshine out of a bad situation.

This was a lovely book. With a lovely role model as the protagonists. I enjoyed the conversations around Ryan's hair and the enjoyment she found in cooking.
I was a little disappointed by the end as felt it was unneeded.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Super cute! Lovely to see a Black character centre stage in such a young title, brilliant touches about hair. Each of the themes - cooking, friendship, hairpin mystery, is good fun

This is a really lovely story about a fierce kid with a big heart... Ryan has some big change going on in her life, and it isn't always easy to deal with. I found this a brilliant story for introducing the ideas of class, racism, and self belief to a young audience - I will be recommending for 8+ - Renée Watson is brilliant at tackling big issues in a way that is manageable for younger children, in a way that is accessible for them.

This was really cute! I really enjoyed reading about Ryan's relationships with her family and friends and about her love for cooking! There's a lot in here about beauty standards for Black children, specifically in terms of hair and skin colour, which I thought was handled really well. Overall, this is something I'd recommend for children around the age of 8.

I am a huge fan of Renee Watson and I've read almost everything she's written so far. Her books always bring a huge smile on my face and charge me with positive emotions. I especially loved this one because the main character enjoyed cooking as a hobby and it felt very relevant to my own interests.

Strongly recommend.

'Ways to make Sunshine' is a heartwarming story of a girl who learns how to adapt to various changes in her life.
Ryan Hart and her brother Ray find out they have to move house and they are less than pleased. Especially as the 'new' house is actually an old house! Ryan keeps thinking about all the things that will be different when they move and it makes her feel very sad. She likes to experiment in the kitchen and help her mum with the cooking, but the kitchen in the new house isn't like the old one. Ryan's really not sure that she likes all these changes.

It is easy to identify with many of the situations that Ryan finds herself in in this story - from moving house at a young age to dealing with friends of friends that are not very kind, and overcoming nerves when speaking in front of people. It is perfect for children age 7 and up to explore issues that they themselves may be facing and seeing them have a positive outcome.

I read this with my two daughters aged 9 and 12.

We thought that Ryan was really relatable. The story read well and we all liked the ending. We read it all in one go as we didn’t want to put it down. The illustrations really went well with the book too.
We also liked that there was more than one dimension, the hairpin mystery, and her struggling to grown into her name made it well rounded.

A really enjoyable book.

As fun and as happy as the title of this wonderful book suggests! I love the cover and the art fits perfectly in with the story. Will be one of the first to buy it when it comes out.